Oil-burning-locomotive firebox



G. Nl. BEAN.

OIL BURNING LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT Il, 1919. i

Patented Feb. 22, 192i.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l @LWN MINT N5 L- s N N ha INVENTOR y @61W Y wi@ l,qrofemfw/.s'

WITNESS:

G. M. BEAN.

OiL BURNING LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 1l. 1919.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

4 SHEETS--SHEET 2- WITNESS- IN VEN TOR G. M. BEAN.

OIL BURNING LOCOMOTIVE FLREBOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 11, 1919.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

A 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WITNESS:

G. M. BEAN.

OIL BURNING LOCOIVIOTIVE FIREBOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT II. I9I9.

Patented Feb.22,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

TTORNEYS WITNESS:

omiso STATESj PATENT oFF-lcs.

GUY u. am, or Los-Almanza cnrromvm'inssmnon ro'AisnrsaIc-AN non rmx, a concurren or nmawmn COI- OIL-BUnNINs-Locouorxvnrznnnox.

.Toallwamaimagconcern: 'l V Be `it known that I, GUY M. "Buma citizen of the United States, residing at Bpecioatlon of Letters Patent.. 'Paita .'Appnemn and september 11, 19195I semi m. 82ans.

'neen Feb. 2e, 1921.

l v vabout.th-euse the front end burner arrangement with 'an open furnace on the lar e locomotives.

Los Angeles, in the county offLos Angelesgj ne vof' the `important objects of my inand State of California, have Vinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil- Burning-Locomotive Fireboxes, of which the followingis a specification. l v

This invention relates to improvements in 1 oil burning locomotive nre-boxes, and its object and advantages will be best understood from a brief statement of the development of this art.

Apparently the first locomotive equipped with oil burningapparatus in this country employed what isrknown as the front Aend burner, that is, the burner was located un the front of the box. This arran ement4 was relatively unsatisfactory, the e ciency, particularly with respect to fuel 'consumpvention'resides in the provision of an improved lire-box whereby I am4 enabled to use a back endv burner lwithout encounteringthe foregoingldiiculties and whereby the efficiency of"\the locomotive is greatly increased, particularly with reference to econom in fuel consumption.

Anot erobject of my invention resides 1n the provision of an improved fire-box by means of which the complicated firing valve operating conditions, ordinarily encountered in oil burning lapparatus for locomotives, are eliminated.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved firebox whereby I am enabled to obtain a tion being low and the arrangement beng\glonger dame travel; whereby a reverberaunsatisfactory in other respects. Theresult of experiments with this locomotive eventually brought about the'l almost complete use of the back end burner, combined', with a low short arch over the front of the flame .,channel, and l.this arrangement was relatively successful -on small powered locomotives, and is still to some extent emploved Ain such small power locomotives.

owever, on the advent of larger powered locomotives, with their wide fire-boxes and other changes and departures from the old practice, it was found that the back end burner could not be successfully employed for the following reasons: In the first place, the arch over the ame channel lwas hard to maintain due to the high heat generated in the small combustion space, and to spalling incident to the admission of air under the arch in the zone ofintense heat. In the next place, the increase in size and power of the locomotives necessarily involve the utilization of correspondingly increased amounts of fuel, which in turn necessitated an increase in the rate'of firing, the result being the setting up of a blow-torch action in the relatively small combustion chamber which concentrated the heat on the door sheets and burned them out. In addition, particularly when the arch was not in the best of con ition, this concentration also -localized on the side sheets and burned them out. The foregoing diiliculties again brought 'tory action on the iame, particularly in the earlier sta es of combustion, is obtained; and where y the air that might otherwise reach the ues at times of low rates of firing is heated. My invention also contemplates the provision of a fire-box by the use of which the piping is simplified, and also the provision pif an improved means for sanding the ues.

objects as may hereinafter appear, I obtain by means of a construction which I have illustrated in preferred form in the accom- -panying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a locomotive fire-box embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a modification of my invention; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through a locomotive rebox illustrating the application of my invention in connection with a Gaines wall.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to'3 inclusive, it will be seen that the fire-box structure comprises the usual inside and outside throat sheets 7 and 8; the inside and outside side sheets 9 and 10; the inside and outside back sheets 11 and 12; a crown sheet. 13, the cover or roof sheet 14; the'.

TheA foregoing, together\with such otherl connecting the front water leg to the rear water leg. Those features by which I am enabled to use the foregoin structure to obtain the desired results will now be described.

The bottom of the fire-box is closed by a long and relatively narrow pan 18, thel side walls 19 and 20, the end walls 26 and 27, and the bottom wall 21 whereof are lined with refractory material such as brick; and by the front, rear, and side shelves, respectively numbered 22, 23, 24 and 25. It will be seen from thev foregoing that the pan, considered as a whole, occupies a middle position in the bottom of the fire-box, with the shelves located approximately at the level of the mud ring, the pan projecting downwardly.

Located immediately in advance of the front wall of the pan is a cross bearer 28 adapted to form the support for a transverse flash wall 29. Extending rearwardly from the flash wall, and supported on the circulation tubes 17 is a refractory arch 30, preferably built up from a plurality of arch bricks. Extending forwardly from the rear wall 27 of the pan is what I term a primary arch 31, preferably composed of arch brick of crown shape. The primary arch is relatively short in length, and the length of the arch 30 is such that the end thereof comes approximately above the end of the primary arch.

An opening 32 is provided in the rear wall 27 of the pan for the purpose of introducing air, and located in such opening is the burner 33. Near the front, the bottom. wall 21 of the pan is also provided with an air inlet opening 34 covered by a boot 35 through which air is admitted under control by means of a/'damper 36.

By the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that the fuel is introduced by the burner into what may be termed a primary mixing chamber under the primary arch 31 where it .is mixed with the air, the flow of which is induced through the opening 32. This primary chamber I have designated by the reference letter A. Ignition also takes place in the primary chamber, and the flames travel therefrom into the flame chan- -nel, indicated as a whole by reference letter B. The flame channel B may be described as a combustion chamber, of relatively small size, opening, however, into a second combustion chamber C, of relatively much larger size, such latter chamber having the width of the box and a substantial depth by reason of the fact that the arch 30 is tube supported. By this arrangement the disadvantages incident to the high rate of firing necessary are overcome for it will be seen that the fuel travel, while very rapid in the primary chamber A, slows up in the iame channel B because such channel or is of larger capacity than the chamber C,

chamber 'opens into the much larger chamber'C, and is still much slower. through the chamber C.

The slowing up of the 'fuel and ame flow eliminates the blow torch action and the difficulties incident thereto which have been previously described, and at the same time more perfect combustion is obtained, first in the flame channel B, and later in the chamber C. In the chamber B the fuel is more effectively broken up into gases which are thoroughly mixed and bafiied in the chamber C beneath the arch 30, where their travel is relatively still slower and their more complete combustion assured. The gases and flame passing over the end of the arch 30 must still traverse the length of the final combustion chamber D, before reaching the flues, and since this chamber it will be seen that all of the gases are consumed in the fire-box. The flame travel is thus a long and tortuous one, with decreasing speed. It Will also be noted that the arrangement of the refractory chambers is such that the flame, particularly in the earlier stages of combustion, is subjected to a reverberatory action,` tending to promote more perfect combustion.

In addition I have found that this arrangement enables me to dispense with a more or less involved firing valvemecha-v nism heretofore found necessary in` suchforms of equipment and I am, therefore, enabled to eliminate many of the complications incident thereto. Furthermore it will be noted that the piping is greatly simplied.

Since the total air inlet opening is preferably based upon the maximum rate' of firing, excess quantities of air may be drawn into the fire-box at low rates offiring, but such air will be heated, before reaching the flues, in its passage through the refractory chambers.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the general arrangement is the same as that described, but in this instance the bottom of the pan 18 is arranged in substantially the same plane as the mud ring of the fire-box, 115 the side and back shelvescoming well above the level of the ring.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, I have illustrated the application of the general arrangement shown in Fig. 1 to a ire 120 box of the Gaines type, for which purpose the flash wall 29, is preferably located immediatelybehind the Gaines wall 37 and the air inlet openings through the latter, indicated at 38 are carried through the flash 125 wall. In this form therefore, air is admitted at tliee points.

Referring now to the means for sanding the flues, the ordinary method pursued is to provide a hole in the fire door allowing the 130 draft to draw the sand through the fire-box to the flues. I have found this to be unsatlsfactory for the reason that a large proportion of the sand cannot be carried over the arch and to overcome this difficulty I provide a thimb'le40 beaded into the inside and outside back sheets 1l and 12 located just beneath the point of juncture with the crown sheet. This arrangement affords a very eective means for sanding the flues.

I claim:

l. In an oil burning locomotive lire-box, the combination of a mixing chamber in the bottom of the box and toward the rear thereof, a narrow combustion chamber forward of the mixing chamber and opening therefrom, and a wide combustion chamber located above and in open communication with the narrow combustion chamber and having its upper side formed of refractory arch bricks, and circulation tubes for supporting the arch.

2. In an oil burning locomotive fire-box, the combination of means for closing the bottom of the lire-box inclusive of a mixing chamber and a narrow combustion chamber forward of the mixing chamber and communicating therewith, and a wide combustion chamber located above and in open communication with the narrow combustion chamber, said wide combustion chamber being formed in part by a transverse flash wall and by an arch composed of refractory arch brick, and circulation tubes for supporting the arch.

3. In an oil burning locomotive fire-box,

- the combination of a plurality of inclined arch tubes located a substantial distance above the bottom of the fire-box, means for closing the bottom of the fire-box inclusive of a primary combustion chamber and a narrow combustion chamber communicating therewith, said chamber projecting downwardly, and a wide combustion chamber located above the narrow combustion chamber and in open communication therewith, said wide combustion chamber having one end wall thereof composed of a refractory flash wall and having its top formed of a refractory arch consisting of a plurality of arch bricks supported from said tubes.

4C. In an oil burning locomotive fire-box, the combination of means for closing the bottom of the Firebox, inclusive of a narrow trough extending longitudinally of the bottom of the box, a primary arch over one end of said trough adapted to form a mixing chamber, means whereby air is admitted to said mixin chamber, a burner for introducing oil into said mixing chamber, and a combustion chamber of relatively large capacity located above and in open communication with the uncovered portion of ,the

trough, the products of combustion passing piver said large combustion chamber to the ues.

In an oil burning locomotive lire box, the combination of a narrow combustion chamber in the lower portion thereof, a wide combustion chamber located above and in open communication with the narrow combustion chamber and having its upper side formed of refractory arch bricks, and circulation tubes for support-ing the bricks.

6. In an oil burning locomotive lire box, the combination of an inclined arch tube located above the bottom of the lireL box, a narrow combustion chamber for closing the bottom of the lire box, a burner for introducing oil into the rear of said narrow combustion chamber, and a wide combustion chamber located above the narrow combustion chamber and in open communication therewith, said wide combustion chamber having its top formed of a refractory baille supported from the circulation tubes.

7. In an oil burning locomotive fire box, the combination of means for closing the bottom thereof, inclusive of a trough extending longitudinally of the bottom of the box, a primary arch over one end of said trough adapted to form a mixing chamber, a burner for introducing oil into said mixing chamber, a combustion chamber of relatively large capacity located above and in open communication with the uncovered portion of the trough, circulation tubes extending above the combustion chamber, and a refractory baille forming the top of the combustion chamber and supported on said tubes, the products of combustion passing over said large combustion chamber to the flues.

8.' In an oil burning locomotive fire box, the combination of means for closing the bottom thereof inclusive of a longitudinally extending trough, a primary arch extending forwardly over the rear portion of said trough, adapted to form a mixing chamber, a burner for introducing oil into said mixing chamber, circulation tubes above the trough, a flash wall at the forward end of the trough and a refractory arch supported on said tubes extending to the rear of said flash wall, said arch terminating at a point apphroximately above the end of the primary arc Y In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

GUY M. BEAN. 

